slENDeR eNds yoU
by Animelover133
Summary: Two years after the unsolved cases of Sora, Riku, Kairi and Namine, their friends have finally accepted the past. But now, everything has settled and gotten boring; it looks like things are going to get interesting again. (Sequel to sLenDEr hAs YOu.)
1. tWinS

**Alright, you asked for a sequel. And since my favorite Youtube Slender series, Marble Hornets, have begun a new project, I decided to write this in celebration as well.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **I don't own Slender, Kingdom Hearts or snow.**

* * *

The twins laughed as they raced onward into the woods, carefree as can be and ignoring the cold chill in the air. Christmas was closing in and life had relaxed. It had been two years since the eventful and shocking domino effect from four of their close friends and they never truly let go of the facts that led to the truth: Riku, Kairi and Sora were dead and always would be, along with their families.

"Ventus, you're so slow!" called Roxas while he ran onward.

"I just got caught on a branch, that's all!" was his excuse.

They didn't bother acknowledging any other facts, because they knew that it was better not knowing. Their friends were gone and they would never be seen again. The police couldn't even find any bodies, let alone any signs that they were alive somewhere. They were left as an unsolved homicide, shoved into a file and left to rot.

And as for Namine? She had disappeared without a trace as well, though there had been plenty of evidence showing that she had murdered countless people. No one could understand why she had turned into such a violent psychopath, but those questions went on unanswered as well and put into another unsolved file, hidden away forevermore.

"Roxas, will you just wait? I'm…feeling dizzy…" Ven slowed to a stop, panting heavily. "Ugh…"

Roxas skid to a halt and rushed to his brother's side, a worried frown etched on his face as Ven coughed for a few moments before it subsided.

"That's the fourth time that's happened, Ven. We should head back."

As he made a move to turn back the way they had come, Roxas grabbed his sleeve and tugged him back, coughing once more.

"I'm fine. Probably my body just fighting off some virus. I'll be fine a second."

"…if you say so."

Nonetheless, the two quit chasing each other and simply stayed side by side while they ventured deeper into the woods, talking about what Christmas would bring and what gifts they hoped to unwrap this year. The barren trees stood around them, listening in.

"Alright, I think we should start heading back. Mom will have our heads if we end up being late to dinner again."

Roxas laughed. "Or we could just keep going. We can keep our heads, too."

"Come on." Ven insisted, turning back around. "We've seen enough."

"Not like there's much to see out here." Roxas mumbled.

Picking their way through fallen branches and holes, they walked back, homeward bound. The sun was still high in the air, hidden behind dense clouds and leaving the world in a grayed haze. Going through these empty trees certainly gave off an air of unsettlement, especially for the older twin.

"Man, it's freezing." Roxas could practically feel his own teeth chattering. "Think you can manage a faster pace?"

Ven shrugged. "Yeah."

The two picked up speed while the temperature dropped lower. Both knew that the time for snow was due any time, but neither had anticipated that it would be occurring _today_. And moments later, the sky began to rain light, little flakes down upon them, pushing the boys to move quicker.

That's when the real coughing fit started up, hitting the youngest hard. He wheezed and doubled over, hands on his knees as the constricting pain pulled at him. Roxas froze as his sibling gagged and choked, his body shaking in an effort to stop.

"Ven…?"

It was then that, as he put his gloved hands up to his mouth to muffle the coughs that they really started up, his body twitching and convulsing. It hurt to even attempt to breathe…

"Ventus!" He held his brother by the shoulders. "Ventus!"

The younger twin couldn't understand why this was happening now. He hadn't had this bad of a coughing fit in over two years and even then, there had been few and for only short amounts of time.

"Ventus, just…just hold on, alright?" Roxas wasn't sure what to do with this situation. "We'll just wait it out, alright?"

And just like that, they did. It was such an instantaneous change that both were taken aback by it. Ven had never felt so weak after a fit and Roxas hadn't seen this in so long that he had no way of helping in any way. Ventus pulled his hands away and sighed, glad for it to be over. Roxas felt like ice had been poured over his body as he glanced down at his brother's hands.

"Oh my god…" He grabbed his wrist and pulled it closer to his face; definitely blood. "Ventus, we need to get you home. _Now._ "

His brother yanked his hands away and looked at them, his face going pale. Without another word, they made their way onward, both trying to be careful about the pace in case it triggered another fit out of the blue. But as they walked, the trees didn't thin out and the area seemed exactly the same, which worried the twins to no end.

It was Ven who stopped the journey, Roxas following suit as they looked around.

"We should be close to town already." Roxas hummed his agreement to the statement. "We didn't go the wrong way, did we?"

"No, I'm positive. We always go through the same path and we've never had any problem. We should be seeing the Haunted Mansion or the Clock Tower by now…" Roxas turned in a circle, hoping to find some sort of familiar checkpoint. "I mean, we didn't go out that far, so we should be able to spot either from here."

A seed of panic was planted in the twins, now seeing that they were farther than they had first thought. Now, instead of fun and laughter, they had stepped into lost territory. Roxas took a deep breath.

"Okay. So we were running this way…" He pointed towards one direction and trailed off.

Ven frowned and looked off to where he was pointing, seeing nothing but naked trees. He glanced back at his brother, whose body had begun to shiver, now wondering if they were both becoming ill. The snow had started to cover everything in sight into a white, clean wonderland, leaving them with no clear point to go towards.

The two were lost.

* * *

 **And so it begins.**


	2. kIDnaPpeD

**I'm alive and finally able to pull myself out of writers' block.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **I don't own Slender or Kingdom Hearts.**

* * *

Aqua pulled herself from unconsciousness, her mind connecting with her senses. It was cold, thanks to the weather, and she was laying, face down, on gravel, pebbles digging into her cheek. She groaned, forcing her eyes to open.

"Argh…" Her head was pulsating. "Man…that hurts."

Her vision was blurred, mixed with blacks and grey, which made no sense. She had been getting off work and had intended to walk home and call Terra to come over for dinner, walking towards her apartment. How had she blacked out?

"Ugh… my head is throbbing…"

Opening her eyes again, she gasped and winced. Her head felt like it had split her brain in two and the arm she was laying on was numb from lack of circulation. She used her other hand to push herself into a sitting position, brushing off the few rocks that had stuck to her face. Looking around, she frowned and stood slowly to her feet, confusion running through her. She scrambled into her memories in hopes of finding some sort of recognition of this place, but the area was foreign.

Tall, grey buildings stood around her, melding with the dark sky above. Feeling unsettled, she turned in a circle and tried to figure out where she was. Even if it was only familiar setting sorts, she would have a grasp of where she was.

The only thing she found was a street sign, faded with age and barely distinguishable in the faint streetlight. She squinted and said the name aloud under her breath.

"7th Street…?"

The street name was foreign to her. There's wasn't any street she knew by that, nor could she pick out any town with it, either. So…where was she now?

"How odd." Her temples ached and pounded slightly, making the young woman wince. "What in the world…"

Her barriers had slowly begun to raise in concern and fear as she tried to decide what to do now. Did she venture out into this unknown area for help or try and find a way home on her own? Should she wait for someone to come and rescue her? Surely Terra would be the first to know something was off when he came by her apartment. She wouldn't be there and that wasn't a normal thing for someone like her. He would come looking for her.

But…how long would it take? She didn't even know where she was, how far she was from home. It could take days, even weeks. Did she dare stick around?

And then there was an even greater worry for her: how had she gotten here to begin with? She didn't sleepwalk, let alone have any mental instability that would have her wandering off with a lack of memory. Now fear was being replaced with suspicion and awareness, eyeing the abandoned area. There had to be a reason, an explanation as to how she got here. So could it have been someone else?

Frowning, she firmly stood her ground. She was a brave woman, one who could easily defend herself and not stand down. This stranger who dared kidnap her would be no exception to that.

It certainly made more sense than any other theory she could come up with. The kidnapper could have attacked her from behind and taken her away. Perhaps they were still around, watching her right now. Had she just been thrown into a little game of cat and mouse? The thought alone made her skin crawl in disgust and unease. She much preferred an enemy she could see.

"Well, I don't have to even play. I'd rather find an exit and get home." She hummed thoughtfully and looked around. "Which way to go…"

It was hard to see without a moon. She tried to ignore that small fact, seeing as her last memory was her walking home around noon, with the sun still high. There were stars though. Millions of tiny lights that shone down and gave her a small sense of hope. If only these useless street lights were brighter so she could see better.

"I suppose I can simply follow the North Star. It's better than nothing at all."

She looked up and her eyes pinpointed the bright star that was showing her the way. With one more glance around the empty town, she moved her feet in the same direction as her sky compass. As she began making her way through the quiet area, a small shiver ran up her spine. She didn't dare turn around to see if anything had been the reason for it, sticking solely to her mission.


	3. poLIcE

**Another chapter for you.**

 **I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Slender or annoying, sexy pricks.**

* * *

He cursed again and flopped down onto the couch, annoyed and angry and…beyond worried. He didn't acknowledge the buzz of policemen as they roamed around Aqua's apartment, yellow tape surrounding the area while four bright cars were haphazardly parked outside it. He had already answered every question thrown his way and he was now mentally exhausted.

When his lovely girlfriend had called him to join her for a homemade dinner, he had been glad as he finished up with work, silently begging the clock to move faster so he could see her beforehand. Driving home to change into something more comfortable, he made his way over, sending a text that he was on his way. He was early, but it was nice to just sit and talk with her while they let time pass, too.

But as he drove up and parked, he couldn't help but feel…as if something was off. Getting out, he hastily locked his car and made his way to the back door. The two were close and she had already given him a key to her little place, knowing he would keep it safe. It had been a wonderful birthday that day.

The apartment, confusingly, was dark, the curtains drawn and the door still locked. He questioned it, but only for a second as he unlocked it. However, upon opening the door and stepping inside, he froze. There were no lights on, nothing cooking on the stove or in the oven. No one was here.

"Aqua?" He called out, hoping she was here and merely sleeping. "Aqua, are you here?"

He stepped inside and closed the door, his walls going up and his heart beating a little quicker. Something was definitely wrong. Flicking the kitchen lights on, he stood in the silent apartment, taking in the place with sharp eyes. His body was tense, ready for anything.

He made his way into the living room and turned the lights on as well, searching for anything out of the ordinary. The coffee table was still cluttered with mail and three empty coffee mugs, the television was turned off, the couch hadn't been sat on. He moved onward to the bathroom to find the same scene, as well as her bedroom. The place was undisturbed, untouched. So where was she?

He dug out his cell and tapped her name to call her, putting it to his ear. Immediately, a loud melody of violins came from the living room, one that was all too familiar. Instantly, he dropped his phone and ran to find where the noise was. It took only a few moments to spot the blue phone laying on the floor, partially hidden underneath the couch. He could see his name on the screen as it continued to ring on the floor, vibrating slightly.

He hadn't even bothered touching it and, after staring at it while it rang, he stiffly went to get his own phone and call the police, a numb feeling coming over his mind and body. He could barely recall the conversation he had with the 911 operator, nor when the police had come inside and began bombarding him with a flurry of questions and accusing looks.

He put his head in his hands while the police roamed, letting them do their job while he tried to simply collect himself from the shock. That's when a small hand settled onto his shoulder, shaking him and attempting to get his attention. Weary, he raised his head and was surprised to recognize the face, despite the blank expression that was on his face.

The younger man gave a tight smile. "Remember me, pretty boy?"

The older male stared and blinked back. "Vanitas? What the-? How did-?"

"Remember when I said my dream was to become the best officer ever? Well…" He gestured to himself in uniform and gave a little laugh. "Ta-da."

Terra nodded and forced a smile on his face. "Congrats. It's nice to see you again."

Vanitas's hazel eyes turned into steel gold, throwing his shoulders back. He may have been short for his age, but he was strong and determined. He was also quite confident in his skills as an officer, if not a bit too cocky, which didn't bode well with everyone else around him.

"You do realize it's nearly midnight, right?" He smirked. "Go home."

Terra suddenly could see the irritating little brat with the opinionated big mouth, the same one from high school. Vanitas certainly hadn't changed much over the years, sadly. What a day this turning out to be.

"Yeah, fine." He agreed, getting up from the couch. _Anything to get away from you, you sick bastard._

Terra, distressed as he was, didn't mind leaving the apartment and heading back to his car. But once he had gotten in, the facts of reality sunk their claws in a bit deeper. He inhaled sharply and sat back in his seat, eyes staring blankly up at nothing. He wasn't quite sure what to do with himself now. Did he go back home and wait? Should he go and ask if he could do something, maybe start a search party for her? Should he just go by himself and look? Begin his own investigation, perhaps. It wasn't like the police was going to be of much help.

He decided that, no matter what, he was going to bring her back. Even if it had to be for a burial.


	4. gUn

Vanitas huffed as he walked into his apartment, flicking the light switch up and sighing as darkness met him instead. He should have expected it, honestly.

"Stupid landlord. He's got such a stick up his ass."

Finding his way through the dark (and cursing as he hit his foot against the wall), he opened his fridge and rummaged blindly around to find a beer. Maybe he could just drink away the remainder of this crappy day. He grinned in delight as his hand touched cold glass, snatching it out of the fridge and slamming the door shut. With a well-practiced move, he flicked off the cap and downed it as quickly as he could.

"Ah...the only good thing out of this entire day." He leaned up against the counter and frowned into the darkness. "Seeing that damned prick, though… _that_ was just the beautiful icing to finish off the day. Ha!" Another drink. "It's not like his girlfriend got kidnapped. Probably just up and left, dumb bitch. She always did have that haughty attitude about her."

He laughed and continued to guzzle down the beer, talking to the silence. The officer kept doing so, grabbing bottle after bottle out of his fridge and downing them without thought, laughing and cursing. Before long, he was now sitting in the middle of his kitchen, bottles strewn about him and a full one clutched in one hand. He had begun to shout angrily at the dark ceiling, profanity spewing out of his mouth as fast as he drank his alcohol.

"And that damned guy didn't even have the guts to look me in the face! What a fucking…ugh!" Taking a sloppy drink, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "That damn Highwind. Can't believe he expects me to live in the dark. So what if I don't want to pay bills? I shouldn't have to."

As time went by, his eyelids slid shut, dropping his half-empty bottle and letting it spill on him and the floor. Light filtered through the windows as he snored away, followed by his phone blasting out an alarm from his pocket; he never stirred.

* * *

It was much later in the day when his eyes finally opened, groaning as he quickly shut his eyes from the harsh light. Had the power turned back on somehow? He was sorely disappointed to find it to be natural light instead of artificial, shoving himself to his feet. Despite the pounding in his head and the unbalance in his body, he made his way to the bathroom to shower.

Upon taking out his phone, he chuckled darkly. "Looks like I missed another day of work. What a pity."

The shower was quick and rehearsed, stumbling out just as quickly as he had gotten in. With only a towel to cover him, he made his way back into the kitchen to assess the damage. Besides some empty bottles and a puddle of wasted beer, it wasn't too bad. Better than last time, anyway.

The handsome male stepped around the mess and grabbed at the bottle of pills that awaited for him on the counter, taking three of them and swallowing them dry. Another normality in his dull life. Maybe he should go and do something different. Get some adrenaline pumping through his veins. It wasn't like anyone was going to miss him from work and he had no intention of going back and seeing that annoying, pitiful face of Terra.

Hunting…hunting sounded like a great idea right now. Just him and a gun, alone. Some animal bloodshed and isolation from this pathetic place was exactly what he needed. It certainly had been a good few months since he had last done so and he needed to let out some anger.

"Clothes and a gun it is, then."

* * *

He breathed in deeply, slowly, moving through the barren trees and being silent with his footsteps, careful of the path before him. In both hands he held a large shotgun, barrel pointed at the ground and eyes darting about in hopes of catching any sort of movement. He just needed to kill… _something_. Personally, he wished it was a certain tall brunet male, but a deer or rabbit would do for now. He just wished they would quit hiding from him and give him a clear shot. Just one was all he needed.

"Come on, damn things. I know you're out there."

The wind was quiet here, allowing a pressing silence to be his only company. His hands tightened around the gun, his brow furrowed in frustration. He had only been at this for an hour, but he should have seen or heard _something_ by now. He hadn't even heard the cry of a bird or a single shuffle of any sort of critter.

Something was off. Something was wrong and the cop could feel it, like an itch he couldn't reach. He was already beginning to talk himself out of staying any longer. Today was not the right day for hunting and he was feeling ready to turn back and head back into the safety of his lone apartment. Screw this hunting idea.

It was only a few minutes later that a noise, finally, started up. But only a single noise, echoing throughout the area and fading, starting up and stopping every few moments. Vanitas paused, one foot in front of the other, gun held tightly in his hands.

He didn't recognize that sound. That was a foreign sound that just gave him the wrong signals and he wasn't about to have any of it. He lowered the gun, standing there a breath and listening to the odd noise. It immediately stopped and Vanitas felt the hair on his bare arms raise at the unsettling feeling that was growing in his stomach.

It was time to go. _Now._

He spun around and stepped quickly, his eyes scanning the area as he moved around. Not for an animal, but for something that could make such an odd, blank noise. It was abnormal. His senses picked up that creeping feeling of being watched, of eyes following him throughout the area, making him pick up the pace. He didn't want to stick around and find out what it was. He was stubborn, not stupid.

It took him a few minutes to realize he wasn't getting anywhere. He stopped walking, his heart pounding, as he checked the area more thoroughly, eyes narrowed.

"…the hell? This wasn't the path I took. Where am I?"

There was that sound again. Why did it sound louder, almost as if it was echoing around him? Vanitas instinctively raised his gun and held his breath as surveyed the area completely, slowly. He wouldn't hesitate to shoot the first thing he saw, no questions asked.

The sound stopped abruptly and froze a second after, blood rushing in his ears. His hands tightened around his weapon, holding his stance and waiting for something to happen. Something to pop up from a bush, for another sound to alert him of any presence, of anything out of the ordinary. Nothing.

"Maybe…I think I need a vacation." he sighed.

He lowered the gun and rolled his right shoulder, wincing at the loud crack it made. He was far too tense and uncomfortable to be hunting, anyway. Shower and a bed sounded perfect right now. Maybe even go ahead and call his boss to tell him he was heading off to Destiny Islands. He definitely needed to get away from this crappy place, regardless.

"The only problem is where I put my damn car. The one time I get lost in these stupid, godforsaken woods…"

He turned around…and there it was. Just standing there. Vanitas' stomach curled in on itself, eyes going wide in shock. He didn't know what he was looking at because it didn't look right. Didn't even look human. The suit, maybe, but not the long body and limbs, not that empty void of a face. His brain easily connected the strange sound he heard with this…thing. His body moved of its' own accord.

He raised the gun, pointing it right at the blankness of the face, ignoring the shaking in his entire being, and pulled the trigger. The ringing in his ears that followed was unable to block out the noise that crackled inside his mind. He dropped his gun as the thing vanished right before his eyes, panic taking over him.

It appeared again, closer this time. Vanitas let his instincts take over again and his legs moved, going in the opposite direction and just running as fast as his body would allow. He forgot about his gun, about trying to find the path or his car. He just needed to go.

He didn't get far, however, before the thing appeared in his path once more, standing solemnly there as if it had been waiting there the whole time. He tripped over his feet, skidding through the dirt before he was able to use enough momentum to shove his body in the other direction, heading back to the area where he had just been running away from.

He had completely forgotten that he had dropped his gun back there. This, with the addition of having to focus on what he was running from, caused him to stumble over his own weapon, tumbling to the ground with grunt, wincing at the hard ground he smashed into.

"Shit!" he hissed.

Attempting to get to his feet as quickly as he could, he managed to snatch up his gun. It wasn't until he stood to his feet that realized that he wasn't in the woods anymore. There weren't even any trees around him.

"…the hell? Where…?" It took him a second to register what he was looking at, seeing as he was standing on the edge of the entire thing. "What's a carnival doing in the middle of nowhere?"

* * *

 **Hm...interesting.**


	5. SNoW

"We can't stay out here much longer…this snow doesn't look like it plans on stopping anytime soon." Roxas muttered to himself.

"And I honestly don't know how long my body can hold out…it's so cold…"

Roxas chewed his lip and strained to think of a plan. They had no food, nowhere to consider a shelter and no way of getting home. The snow was coming down faster, thicker now, and Ven had a timer now. As the older brother, he had a duty to protect his brother at all costs.

"Alright, let's see…we should start walking in a direction that looks the most familiar. We should come across something at some point."

The plan, while flimsy, was the only possibility that didn't include them freezing their asses off out here. And if they kept moving, it would keep them warm.

"Yeah…yeah, that sounds good." Ven half-heartedly agreed.

They turned to each possible direction, pondering. Ven pointed one way and looked for confirmation from his twin, who silently nodded in agreement. And so they started to walk. And walk. And walk some more, to the point where the snow began to crunch under their feet, slowing them down one step at a time.

It was dark when Roxas finally stopped them from continuing. Ven instantly flopped down into the snow with a groan.

"We're going nowhere. I feel like we've seen the same trees every which way we go."

"I don't get it, though; we should have come across _something_ different." Roxas insisted. "This doesn't make any sense."

"Rox', we don't even know how far these woods go out. It could go for miles, honestly."

Roxas began to pace, running his hands through his spiky hair. "But the entire time we've been walking, there should have been a shift. A change. Something, Ven."

"Look, I just went along with your crazy plan. Don't blame me for getting us lost." Ven huffed.

"Oh, come on, big baby. Get up so we can keep moving."

Obliging, the two trekked onwards, their footsteps quickly vanishing behind them as the snow covered the tracks. It was such a meaningless task for them.

* * *

Hours had surely gone by now, yet still no progress had been made. Both were shivering from the bitter cold and Ven was beginning to slow, his cough becoming more frequent with each step. Roxas was beginning to fear they would never make it out of here.

"Please…Roxas…we need to take a break…" Ven gasped.

The older brother looked behind him to see his twin shaking, hands on his knees, sucking in breath after breath, a pained expression on his face. He rushed to his side.

"Ventus! Damnit, why didn't you tell me sooner? You dumbass…"

"Just…just give me a few minutes…"

The two stood close together, giving each other what little warmth they could as Ven caught his breath, trying to hold back a fit of coughs. He had made his brother worry enough as it was.

That changed quickly when Ven felt his brother grab hold of his arm, tugging for his attention. He raised his head in question, but Roxas wasn't looking at him, but at something in the far distance, eyes wide in terror. He turned to look for himself…and his jaw dropped.

They were standing at the edge of an empty carnival, snow still falling and covering everything in a heavy sheet of white.

"This…where are we, Roxas?" Ven whispered, huddling closer.

Roxas shook in his head, bewildered. "I have no clue, Ven."

Neither moved for a few moments, breathless and beyond confused as how they had arrived at this very spot; neither could come up with an answer.

"Roxas…what do we do now?"

"Let's just find you some shelter from the cold. One of these booths are bound to have something to keep us warm for now. Then I can go out and search for food. Even stale popcorn sounds good at this point."

Ven attempted to laugh at the poor joke, but it turned into a cough, which quickly escalated. Roxas cursed, wrapping an arm over his brother's shoulders and trying to help in some way. They eventually lessened, but it left Ven with a metallic aftertaste that unsettled him. They needed to find shelter quickly.

"Come on, this way. Just lean on me, alright?"

Ven didn't argue as he allowed his older brother to help him walk into the carnival, praying a silent prayer as they moved.

He hoped things would go in their favor from here on out.

* * *

 **It's cold out there, my dears.**


	6. BOXed iN

**And here we have Aqua.**

 **I don't own anything.**

* * *

She didn't get very far, however. As she made her way down the dimly lit road, glancing upward at her guiding light, she was absolutely dumbfounded when her trail ended at a large gate, closing off her way out.

"You can't be serious!" She stomped her foot and turned around, hands on her hips. "Well, looks like I'm going the opposite way."

And so she ventured off and came across the bizarre sight of a massive bus, lodged between two buildings in such an abnormal way that she had stare and take in what she was seeing. This wasn't something any man could do alone, let alone have it fit right between the two buildings like that. She walked towards it and did an experimental push, praying it would budge in some way, but nothing happened. She tried harder, but the large vehicle only groaned in response. Aqua frowned once she realized it wasn't planning on moving any time soon, her pushing turning into punching. The metal bus creaked and groaned at the abuse.

"Let me out of this place! You can't keep me locked in here forever!"

She got no reply, of course, but she needed to let some of her frustration and fear out and this would do just fine. Maybe the people that had stuck her in here were listening. For once in her life, she wanted to truly hurt a person and make them suffer. This wasn't any simple prank; this was a sick bastard who had a sick way of having fun; she just happened to be his target.

"I'm getting out of here, one way or another. And once I do…once I do, I'm going to make sure this place ceases to exist. A place like this shouldn't even be here to begin with."

Her emotions having calmed and with her mission firmly in her mind, she turned away from the bus that blocked her path and made her way back onto the four-way that was 7th Street. She assessed each road for a moment, then switched her attention to the buildings when she saw the roads were of no help. Each building looked completely abandoned, with graffiti and litter surrounding each one, from the stout ones to the tall, thin ones. Every single one was grey in color and even the colorful graffiti seemed dull and almost drained of color. What _was_ this place?

Her feet moved up and down each road, slowly, as she examined each building, trying a few doors that were locked or blocked off by debris from the inside. She was surprised when she stumbled across a new street named Wretik Street, which merely looped back onto 7th Street. But regardless of the road she took, it ended with something blocking her path, with no way to go around, under, over or through it.

She was completely boxed in.

"Damnit…no way in these buildings, no way out of this area and no one here to help me. They certainly didn't want to make it easy for me, did they?" She muttered to herself. "But there _has_ to be something they've overlooked. Something here that they didn't think about…some way for me to get out of here."

She let her mind and feet wander about, her mind trying to find an answer to her problem. It wasn't until she took a turn back onto Wretik Street that something in the back of an alley caught her eye, flashing white against blurring grey. Her head snapped up as she quickly backtracked, eyes scanning the area until they landed upon a small piece of paper, taped haphazardly to the brick wall. Warily, she made her way towards it, but froze when she saw more of the details on paper itself.

Blood. Blood smeared, splattered on the white paper, already dried and dark for who-knows-how-long. Her own blood ran cold in her veins at the handprint that lay beneath the paper, appearing to have been dragged down the length of the bricks and disappearing without a trace. It was as if someone had used their last moments to tape this to the wall, then died right after.

She finally focused on the unsteady handwriting, body tense and blood racing as she breathed the words aloud.

"Collect pages...door unlock...trapped forever."

* * *

 **Trapped. Trapped forever.**


End file.
